MAY/JUNE 2005

© Copyright 2005 by SLI - SongLink International
Editor & Publisher: David Stark
23 Belsize Crescent - London NW3 5QY, UK
Tel: +44 (0)207 794 2540 - Fax: +44 (0)207 794 7393

Peter Reichardt has departed as chairman/CEO of EMI Music Publishing after 16 years at the helm, following a company reorganisation which will also see US president Roger Faxon succeeding Martin Bandier as CEO in April 2007. Reichardt is now deciding his future plans, and is succeeeded as MD by Guy Moot, who was previously UK & Europe A&R executive VP, and will report directly to Faxon rather than Bandier. William Booth becomes Executive VP/General Manager, while Mike Smith becomes Senior VP and Director of A&R, both reporting to Moot. Smith joined EMI Music in 1992 and has signed a number of major writers including Guy Chambers, White Stripes, Blur, The Libertines, and most recently Arcade Fire, amongst others.

Steve Lewis's Stage Three Music has bought Lionel Conway's Mosaic Music catalogue of 10,000 songs which includes classic copyrights by ZZ Top (ex-Hamstein catalogue) and Aerosmith amongst many others. Stage Three also takes over Mosaic's current writers and offices in Los Angeles and Nashville, with Conway retained as US president. Other signings include catalogue NewKastle Music, David Essex, the New Radicals' first album including Gregg Alexander songs, the Children of the Forest catalogue with Macy Gray songs, and The Subways.

Peter McCamley and Paul Flynn of Windswept Music are forming a new company, P&P Songs, following Windswept's decision to close its London office. Further details to be announced, but the pair are expected to continue representing Windswept in the UK on a long-term basis.

Greece won the 50th Eurovision Song Contest in Kiev on May 21st with My Number One sung by Sony/BMG star Helena Paparizou, formerly of the duo Antique. The song was written by Christos Dantis and Natalia Germanou, and published by Sony/ATV Music. In 2nd place was Malta's Chiara with Angel, and 3rd was Romania's Natalia Podolskaya with Nobody Hurt No One. The UK's entry Touch My Fire by Javine was third from bottom, just above France and Germany.

Universal UK chairman Lucian Grainge has been appointed chairman/CEO of Universal Music International from July 1st, succeeeding Jorgen Larsen who becomes chairman emeritus until he retires in June 2006.

Former EMI Records MD Mark Collen is appointed EMI Music senior VP, reporting to chairman/CEO Tony Wadsworth. He will head a new label group dedicated to maninstream pop, MOR and classical crossover. The Innocent and EMI Liberty labels will also come under his domain.

PRS had a total licensing revenue of £297.6m in 2004, an increase of 5% on 2003, with the society distributing £256.2m to its members, compared to £242.5m. However sister Alliance society MCPS income fell 3% to £226.9m, which is mainly attributed to Universal Music International's switch to Belgian society Sabam.

Crispin Evans is joining MCPS-PRS as general counsel in August, leaving Universal Music Publishing International where he was senior VP of international legal and business affairs.

Jason Iley has been appointed new MD of Mercury Records, succeeding Greg Castell. He was general manager of Island/Universal.

Cheryl Robson has joined 19 Entertainment as head of A&R. She was previously at Chrysalis Music, Innocent, East West and her own 2M Recordings. She reports to Simon Fuller at 19, which is now owned by US rights company CKK but still run by Fuller.

James Roberts has joined Hugh Goldsmith's Brightside Records as head of A&R. He was previously A&R editor at Music Week. Blue's Lee Ryan has signed a solo deal with the label, joining Natalie Imbruglia and Rooster. Chris Parles is now A&R manager at Blue Sky Music Publishing, set up earlier this year by Goldsmith.

In changes at Sony/BMG, A&R executives Olivier Behzadi, Malcom Eade, Hugh Murray and Darren Dixon have all left the company.

Paul Martin and Ed Whay have joined Gut Records' A&R dept, while James O'Driscoll has left. Paul Barton joins ZTT, replacing Adrian Jolly.

Former EMI Records director of business affairs John Cullen, 34, has relocated to Manchester to join solicitors James Chapman & Co., to help build up its music, media and entertainment business base.

Yes bassist Chris Squire has launched independent label Umbrello Entertainment and satellite TV network THAT TV with former band mate Stephen Nardelli, coinciding with the revival of their pre-Yes group The Syn for a world tour and new album, titled Syndestructable.

The Rolling Stones start their latest world tour in August in the USA and Canada, followed by dates in Mexico, South America and the Far East, ending up in Europe by next summer. A new album is also on the way.

Brazilian composer Gilberto Gil was awarded this year's Polar Music Music Prize by King Gustaf of Sweden in the 14th year of the awards.

Country singer Carrie Underwood won the fourth series of American Idol, beating southern rocker Bo Bice in the final. Both acts are signed to J Records/BMG, and are being A&R'd by Stephen Ferrera in New York.

New inductees into the Songwriters Hall of Fame at the annual ceremony held in New York on June 9th were artist/writers John Fogerty, Isaac Hayes and David Porter, Steve Cropper, Richard and Robert Sherman and Bill Withers. Other awards went to Alicia Keys (Starlight Award), Smokey Robinson (Johnny Mercer Award), Beebe Bourne (Abe Olman Publisher Award), Bill Medley (Towering Performance Award), Gibson Guitars CEO Henry Juzkiewicz (Patron of the Arts Award) and Les Paul (Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award).

Tracy Gershon has left Sony Nashville, while David Lai joins Sony/BMG Masterworks in New York as senior VP of A&R operations.

Russell Simmons has returned to the industry with RSMG, the Russell Simmons Music Group in association with Universal. Former Priority Records owner Bryan Turner has formed Meelee Entertainment in association with Warner Brothers Records.

Catharine Saxberg has been appointed executive director of CMPA, the Canadian Music Publlishers Association.

RIP: Shoichi Kusano, chairman of Japan's Shinko Music, died of pancreatic cancer on June 6th. One of the pioneers of the Japanese publishing business, he was also known under the pen name Kenji Sazanami, when translating many Western pop songs in the early 60s... Top of the Pops creator Johnnie Stewart (87)... Bluegrass artist Jimmy Martin (77) in Nashville... former EMI and Warners A&R manager Raz Gold (39), after a long battle against cancer.